POTULNY NETS TWO MORE ON FRIDAY NIGHT
April 10, 2009 - The Springfield Falcons once again battled hard, but fell just short losing to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4-3 on Friday night in Bridgeport, CT. Springfield's Ryan Potulny scored a pair of goals on the night, his 36th and 37th goals on the campaign moving him to within two goals of tying John LeBlanc's team record for most goals in a season set in 1994-95.
The Falcons fell behind early in this contest as Bridgeport's Michael Haley scored his fifth goal of the year just 3:22 into the first period. Springfield pulled even at 17:08 of the opening frame when Potulny scored his first goal on the night sending the contest into the first intermission even at 1-1.
FALCONS AUDIO - Head Coach Rob Daum Recaps The Loss
In the second period, Jon Sim gave Bridgeport a 2-1 lead when he converted on the power play just 56-seconds into the middle frame. Junior Lessard expanded Bridgeport's advantage to 3-1 less than a minute after Sim's goal giving the Sound Tigers a two-goal cushion.
Springfield cut their deficit to 3-2 when Shane Willis scored on the power play at 5:15 of the second period, but Bridgeport regained a two-goal lead at 14:56 of the middle period when Jesse Joensuu scored his 20th goal of the year. Once again, the Falcons inched within a single goal when Potulny scored his second marker of the night at 18:33 of the second period, a shorthanded goal setup by Ryan Stone.
FALCONS LINEUP
Stone - Potulny - Eberle
Willis - Schremp - Linglet
Lefebvre - Spurgeon - McDonald
Lee - O'Marra - Trukhno
Young - Gabinet
Wild - Stamoulis
Maslonka - Anderson
Dubnyk
Sabourin
FALCONS SCRATCHES - Jake Taylor (Injured), Bryan Lerg (Injured), Tim Sestito (Injured), Stephane Goulet (Injured), Gilbert Brule (Injured), Geoff Paukovich (Injured), Mathieu Roy (Injured), Hans Benson (Healthy)
PRE-GAME NOTES
- Center Ryan Potulny is four goals shy of tying John LeBlanc's club record for goals in a season set at 39 during the 1994-95 campaign. Potulny is also tied with LeBlanc for most power play goals in a season with 16. Potulny has two goals and two assists for four points in his last two games and over his last 10 games, he has recorded eight goals and six assists for 14 points. Potulny has already recorded career highs in goals and points this year.
- Goaltender Devan Dubnyk has already set the franchise record this year for games played by a goaltender with 61 entering the weekend. Dubnyk broke Jeff Deslauriers' mark of 57 set last year.
- The Falcons' leader in games played this year is Colin McDonald with 75 entering the weekend. Next on the list is Tyler Spurgeon at 71. McDonald has goals in two straight games entering the weekend and for the second straight season he has reached double digits in markers with 10 on the year.
- The Falcons have used 42 different skaters and four goaltenders this year.
- 18-year-old Jordan Eberle has collected two goals and four assists for six points in seven games with the Falcons.
- Since joining the Falcons in mid-February, Charles Linglet has recorded seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 19 games with Springfield.
- Bryan Young has recorded career highs in goals (3), assists (7), points (10) and penalty minutes (62) this year.
- Taylor Chorney, Jordan Eberle and Jeff Lee have all made their pro debuts as a member of the Falcons this year.
- Cody Wild has Springfield's lone overtime game-winning goal this year.
